Ayla Visser, BA, MSc, MSW, RSW is a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). With nearly a decade of clinical experience, Ayla provides psychotherapy to individuals, couples, and families navigating a wide range of concerns, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, addiction, disordered eating, and trauma.
Ayla brings a strong academic and clinical foundation to her work. She holds a Master of Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University, a Master of Science in Family Relations and Human Development from the University of Guelph, and an Honours Bachelor of Arts from Western University, where she specialized in Psychology and Sociocultural Anthropology. Her graduate education and research focused extensively on attachment, family relationships, human development, and relational well-being—areas that continue to shape her clinical practice today.
Ayla’s areas of specialization include the treatment of psychological trauma and PTSD, complex trauma, anxiety disorders, disordered eating, attachment-related difficulties, and couple and family relationships. She has extensive experience working with First Responders, including police officers, correctional workers, firefighters, paramedics, military members, and veterans, as well as individuals who have experienced childhood abuse, neglect, interpersonal violence, and other forms of developmental and relational trauma.
At the heart of Ayla’s work is the belief that healing occurs within safe, authentic, and compassionate relationships. She approaches therapy through an attachment-based and trauma-informed lens, helping clients understand how past experiences have shaped the ways they relate to themselves, others, and the world around them. By fostering insight, emotional awareness, self-compassion, and secure connection, Ayla supports clients in developing healthier patterns of relating, greater resilience, and a stronger sense of agency, safety, and fulfillment in their lives and relationships.
Ayla draws from a range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches and tailors treatment to the unique needs and goals of each client. Her advanced training includes Emotionally Focused Therapy for Individuals, Couples, and Families (EFT), The Gottman Method, Attachment-Focused Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). Ayla is Certified in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) and is currently completing certification in EMDR, reflecting her commitment to ongoing professional growth and clinical excellence.
In addition to her clinical work, Ayla serves as the Director of Clinical Training and Professional Development, where she is responsible for fostering excellence across both the practice and the client experience. In this leadership role, she develops and coordinates professional development opportunities, supports ethical and professional practice standards, provides consultation on complex clinical and ethical matters, mentors new clinicians joining the practice, and promotes a culture of continuous learning and growth. She also leads annual training initiatives in trauma-informed care and conflict resolution, supports leadership development within the organization, and actively advocates for equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives that strengthen both the workplace and client care.
Ayla is also a Co-Founder and Director of the Student Institute, a comprehensive practicum and training program designed to support the next generation of mental health professionals. In this role, she oversees all aspects of the program, including student recruitment, training, supervision, quality assurance, and collaboration with partnering universities. She directly supervises practicum students, provides support and consultation to clinical supervisors, manages the supervision team, and ensures that students receive a high-quality, ethical, and developmentally appropriate learning experience.
Ayla is qualified to supervise both Registered Social Workers and Registered Psychotherapists and holds a Professional Certificate in Clinical Supervision from the Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University, which included 84 hours of specialized supervision training. She also holds professional training in leadership development and continues to expand her expertise in trauma-informed leadership, psychological safety, compassionate conflict resolution, and organizational well-being.
A passionate educator, mentor, and leader, Ayla finds great fulfillment in supporting the growth of students, clinicians, and emerging leaders. Whether she is providing therapy, teaching, supervising, consulting, or presenting, she is dedicated to helping others build confidence, develop meaningful skills, and thrive both personally and professionally.
”We don’t have to do it all alone. We were never meant to.”
– Brene Brown
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